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Opening Night Thrills and Spills At Fox Ridge
FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY
by Dan Bailey
April 8, 2005
(Arcadia, WI) - The 2005 racing season got underway Friday night April 8th at
FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY in Arcadia, Wi with just about every possible scenario
possible unfolding before the Opening Night crowd. The high speeds tight
racing produced plenty of thrills to delight the crowd as well as several
spills that amazed the fans.
After two rollovers in the 4-Cylinder Hornet Division feature foreshadowed
what was to come, the 20-lap WISSOTA Street Stock feature produced one of the
wildest spills of the night. Starting from the outside of the third row, Eau
Claire, WI’s Chris Crapser had no idea that his evening was about to take a
drastically violent turn for the worse.
Just two laps into the feature event the right side tires of Crapser’s #7
climbed the back straight wall exiting turn two. Looking like a display by the
‘Joey Chitwood Stunt Show’ Crapser’s Monte Carlo went up on the two
driver side wheels before the left front corner of the car dug into the ground
propelling the vehicle into a series of violent rolls, flips and vertical
pirouettes. At one moment, while suspended in mid air, Crapser’s quickly
crumpling racer was actually t-boned by the J5 of Rushford’s John Laumb.
The speedway safety crew was on the scene while debris was still being
scattered about, and immediately began analyzing the situation and checking on
Crapser’s condition. While the car itself was totally destroyed, as if a
testament to the strength and safety mandated of these WISSOTA race cars
Crapser was conscious, alert and unharmed in the incident.
This would not be the last time that back straight wall would interact with
the evening’s competitors.
The remainder of the Street Stock feature presented good solid racing with
tight packs of cars battling for position throughout the field. But by the
time the checkered flag waved it was the track veterans who showed their
strengths. First heat race winner Shaun Wehlage took a turn out front before
third heat race winner Danny Hanson relieved him of that privilege and never
once relinquished the top spot. “I was glad when the bottom opened up and no
body was running down there,” commented Hanson after collecting the feature
win, “There was a little more moisture down there and the car really worked
well when I could drop down like that.”
Wehlage held off strong challenges from Fountain City’s Tom Hund to finish
second while Kylan Gamez and Laumb rounded out the top-5.
“WHAT A RIDE”
Not to be out done by the wild display in the Street Stock feature, the
WISSOTA Midwest Modified feature offered up yet another back straight roll
over the violence of which was topped only by the driver’s comedic
enthusiasm upon climbing from the wreckage. In an eerily similar display,
Fountain City, WI’s James Pehler experienced the brutality of a high-speed
flip when his Midwest Modified climbed the back straight wall exiting turn
two. Just like Crapser’s roll over in the Street Stock feature, the sheer
ferocity of the flip quieted the crowd. Again the speedway safety crew was on
scene just seconds after the wreckage had come to a stop.
Again, the driver was conscious, alert and unharmed, the difference between
the two wrecks, however, was the response of the driver. While Crapser was
understandably depressed by the wreckage of his Street Stock, members of the
Safety Crew were greeted by an enthusiastic yell from Pehler as he climbed
from his mangled machine under his own power, “Whooooo,” shouted Pehler,
as if he’d just climbed off the latest offering at the carnival, “What a
Ride! I want to do that again!”
The car, unfortunately, had been reduced to not much more than an oily,
crumpled yard ornament.
Onamia, MN’s Justin Jones motored on to the win with Ryan Olson and Jeff
Brauer completing the top-three. Heat race winners Dean Hoffman and Travis
Krause didn’t even factor into the top-10.
An Insightful Camera
Arcadia’s John Doelle is a superstitious type of racer. Little did he
know that his camera was working with him with a possible message of the
future. As John’s wife Karla explained, “We were out taking pictures of
the car earlier. After we’d used up a whole roll of film I looked down at
the camera only to notice that the date on the camera had somehow been reset.
Instead of displaying ‘4-8-05’ it showed ‘94-1-1’. John looked at it
and said, ‘hey, that’d be nice, my number and then first in the heat and
first in the feature.”
Perhaps the Doelle’s should consider mounting that camera under glass from
now on. Doelle enjoyed the best opening night of his long career, indeed
winning both his heat race and the evening’s USRA Modified feature event.
“This is the same car as last year,” explained Doelle when asked about his
dominance in the feature, “But it got bent up pretty bad at the end of last
year (at a different track). So the whole front end is completely redone, and
it drove like a charm tonight.”
Winonan Bob Timm passed first heat race winner LeRoy Scharkey on the final lap
to finish second while Jay Ihrke and Rick Hauser followed Scharkey across the
line in fourth and fifth, respectively.
“Good thing we changed our mind”
After a stellar second half of the 2004 season at FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY, Bloomer,
WI’s Shawn Huse was actually considering taking the 2005 season off. Just a
couple weeks before opening night, the car was still loaded on the trailer
from last year, but Shawn’s pit crew (sister Cheri and brother Joel) talked
him into coming back to the track for Opening Night at the very least, and it
paid off big.
Huse was able to work past pole sitter and first heat race winner Troy
Langowski by mid-race and then worked the track with his characteristic smooth
driving style all the way to the checkered flag. Langowski followed in second
with Dennis Earney completing the top three.
“Passa unstoppable”
Onalaska, WI’s Ben Passa made it a clean sweep on the evening in the
4-Cylinder Hornet Division winning both the second heat and the evening’s
feature. First heat race winner Mark Bornitz finished second in the feature
with Scott Kronn, from Holmen, crossing the line third.
Racing resumes next Friday night with all five divisions on hand. Hot laps
begin at 7 pm with the first green flag slatted for 7:30. Don’t miss the
action as the season continues to unfold at FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY.
Fox Ridge Speedway Results
4/8/2005
Hornets
A-Main 01 -- 1. Ben Passa, Onalaska, Wis; 2. Mark Bornitz, Holmen,
Wis; 3. Scott Kronn, Holmen, Wis; 4. Joel Hesch, Arcadia, Wis; 5. Gary Towner,
Galesville, Wis; 6. Nate Towner, Trempeauleau, Wis; 7. Robert Carpenter, Black
River Falls, Wis; 8. Chris Gilbertson, Trempealeau, Wis; 9. Rich Niederkorn,
Galesville, Wis; 10. Jody Tollefson, West Salem, Wis; 11. Marcus Ziemer,
Winona, Minn.; 12. Mackenzie Ziemer, Winona, Minn.; 13. Mike Thompson,
Melrose, Wis; 14. Ron Hestekin, Strum, Wis; 15. Klye Franson, Strum, Wis; 16.
Dan Carpenter, Black River Falls, Wis; 17. Alan Van Vleet, Galesville, Wis;
18. Rick Slawson, Ettrick, Wis; 19. Brock Towner, Trempeauleau, Wis; 20. Coty
Slawson, Ettrick, Wis; 21. Kevin Baertsch, Fountain City, Wis; 22. Mike
Krause, Buffalo City, Wis; 23. Danny Richards, Mondovi, Wis; 24. Roger
Niederkorn, Ettrick, Wis; 25. Chris Endle, Mondovi, Wis; 26. Brandon Gleiter,
Alma, Wis; 27. Tommy Richards, Mondovi, Wis; 28. Michael Peters, Whitehall,
Wis; 29. Eric Komperud, Galesville, Wis; 30. Matt Fawcett, Onalaska, Wis.
Heat 01 -- 1. Mark Bornitz, Holmen, Wis; 2. Scott Kronn, Holmen, Wis; 3.
Roger Niederkorn, Ettrick, Wis; 4. Nate Towner, Trempeauleau, Wis; 5. Mike
Krause, Buffalo City, Wis; 6. Rick Slawson, Ettrick, Wis; 7. Dan Carpenter,
Black River Falls, Wis; 8. Klye Franson, Strum, Wis; 9. Matt Fawcett,
Onalaska, Wis; 10. Eric Komperud, Galesville, Wis.
Heat 02 -- 1. Ben Passa, Onalaska, Wis; 2. Chris Gilbertson,
Trempealeau, Wis; 3. Rich Niederkorn, Galesville, Wis; 4. Ron Hestekin, Strum,
Wis; 5. Danny Richards, Mondovi, Wis; 6. Brock Towner, Trempeauleau, Wis; 7.
Kevin Baertsch, Fountain City, Wis; 8. Brandon Gleiter, Alma, Wis; 9. Joel
Hesch, Arcadia, Wis.
Heat 03 -- 1. Coty Slawson, Ettrick, Wis; 2. Gary Towner, Galesville,
Wis; 3. Mike Thompson, Melrose, Wis; 4. Alan Van Vleet, Galesville, Wis; 5.
Robert Carpenter, Black River Falls, Wis; 6. Tommy Richards, Mondovi, Wis; 7.
Michael Peters, Whitehall, Wis; 8. Mackenzie Ziemer, Winona, Minn.; 9. Jody
Tollefson, West Salem, Wis; 10. Marcus Ziemer, Winona, Minn.; 11. Chris Endle,
Mondovi, Wis.
WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds
A-Main 01 -- 1. Justin Jones, Onamia, Minn.; 2. Ryan Olson, Strum, Wis;
3. Jeff Brauer, Eyota, Minn.; 4. Tom Brink, Winona, Minn.; 5. Robert Bautch,
Winona, Minn.; 6. Clint Wittlief, Oronoco, Minn.; 7. Dan Hesch, Arcadia, Wis;
8. Joel VonHaden, Trempealeau, Wis; 9. James Pehler, Fountain City, Wis; 10.
David Kruckeberg, Zumbrota, Minn.; 11. Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn.; 12.
Matt Steffen, Mondovi, Wis; 13. Travis Krause, Buffalo City, Wis; 14. Ben
Anderson, Winona, Minn.; 15. Leigh Volkman, Rushford, Minn.; 16. Dean Hoffman,
Eyota, Minn.; 17. George Sniezek, Saint Joseph, Minn.; 18. Harlan Morehart,
Eyota, Minn..
Heat 01 -- 1. Dean Hoffman, Eyota, Minn.; 2. Justin Jones, Onamia,
Minn.; 3. Jeff Brauer, Eyota, Minn.; 4. Ryan Olson, Strum, Wis; 5. Leigh
Volkman, Rushford, Minn.; 6. Tom Brink, Winona, Minn.; 7. George Sniezek,
Saint Joseph, Minn.; 8. Joel VonHaden, Trempealeau, Wis; 9. Clint Wittlief,
Oronoco, Minn..
Heat 02 -- 1. Travis Krause, Buffalo City, Wis; 2. Jason Cummins, New
Richland, Minn.; 3. Dan Hesch, Arcadia, Wis; 4. James Pehler, Fountain City,
Wis; 5. Ben Anderson, Winona, Minn.; 6. Robert Bautch, Winona, Minn.; 7. Matt
Steffen, Mondovi, Wis; 8. David Kruckeberg, Zumbrota, Minn.; 9. Harlan
Morehart, Eyota, Minn..
USRA Modifieds
A-Main 01 -- 1. John Doelle, Arcadia, Wis; 2. Bob Timm, Winona, Minn.;
3. LeRoy Scharkey, Rochester, Minn.; 4. Jay Ihrke, Dover, Minn.; 5. Rick
Hauser, Winona, Minn.; 6. Brad Waits, Zumbrota, Minn.; 7. Paul Hamernik,
Winona, Minn.; 8. Eric Van Iten, DePere, Wis; 9. Kerry Ledebuhr, Winona,
Minn.; 10. Lonnie Earney, Cochrane, Wis; 11. Gary Doelle, Fountain City, Wis;
12. Karl Fenske, Winona, Minn.; 13. Les Jonsgaard, Winona, Minn..
Heat 01 -- 1. LeRoy Scharkey, Rochester, Minn.; 2. Lonnie Earney,
Cochrane, Wis; 3. Brad Waits, Zumbrota, Minn.; 4. Rick Hauser, Winona, Minn.;
5. Kerry Ledebuhr, Winona, Minn.; 6. Gary Doelle, Fountain City, Wis; 7. Les
Jonsgaard, Winona, Minn..
Heat 02 -- 1. John Doelle, Arcadia, Wis; 2. Jay Ihrke, Dover, Minn.; 3.
Paul Hamernik, Winona, Minn.; 4. Eric Van Iten, DePere, Wis; 5. Karl Fenske,
Winona, Minn.; 6. Bob Timm, Winona, Minn..
WISSOTA Street Stocks
A-Main 01 -- 1. Danny Hanson, Alma, Wis; 2. Shaun Wehlage, Stockton,
Minn.; 3. Tom Hund, Fountain City, Wis; 4. Kylan Gamez, Arcadia, Wis; 5. John
Laumb, Rushford, Minn.; 6. Cory Crapser, Eau Claire, Wis; 7. Erik Kanz,
Winona, Minn.; 8. Dennis Davis, Fountain City, Wis; 9. Cory Hanson, Onalaska,
Wis; 10. Fred Prudoehl, Winona, Minn.; 11. Gerald Schultz, Arcadia, Wis; 12.
Roger Conrad, Independence, Wis; 13. Adam Wilken, Eau Claire, Wis; 14. Dan
Bork, Alma, Wis; 15. Jim Randall, Rice Lake, Minn.; 16. Chuck Nerland,
Rochester, Minn.; 17. Andy Bohnstengel, Winona, Minn.; 18. Michael Conrad,
Independence, Wis; 19. Matt Wolfe, Mondovi, Wis; 20. Chris Crapser, Eau
Claire, Wis; 21. Wayne Dean, Fall Creek, Wis.
Heat 01 -- 1. Shaun Wehlage, Stockton, Minn.; 2. Kylan Gamez, Arcadia,
Wis; 3. Cory Crapser, Eau Claire, Wis; 4. Chris Crapser, Eau Claire, Wis; 5.
Chuck Nerland, Rochester, Minn.; 6. Adam Wilken, Eau Claire, Wis; 7. Dan Bork,
Alma, Wis.
Heat 02 -- 1. Fred Prudoehl, Winona, Minn.; 2. John Laumb, Rushford,
Minn.; 3. Tom Hund, Fountain City, Wis; 4. Jim Randall, Rice Lake, Minn.; 5.
Dennis Davis, Fountain City, Wis; 6. Cory Hanson, Onalaska, Wis; 7. Matt
Wolfe, Mondovi, Wis.
Heat 03 -- 1. Danny Hanson, Alma, Wis; 2. Andy Bohnstengel, Winona,
Minn.; 3. Michael Conrad, Independence, Wis; 4. Gerald Schultz, Arcadia, Wis;
5. Roger Conrad, Independence, Wis; 6. Wayne Dean, Fall Creek, Wis; 7. Erik
Kanz, Winona, Minn..
WISSOTA Super Stocks
A-Main 01 -- 1. Shawn Huse, Bloomer, Wis; 2. Troy Langowski, Winona,
Minn.; 3. Dennis Earney, Cochrane, Wis; 4. Troy Brand, Winona, Minn.; 5. Chris
Groth, Plymouth, Minn.; 6. Mark Stender, Holcombe, Wis; 7. David Nastvold,
Galesville, Wis; 8. Gary Wiersgalla, Fountain City, Wis; 9. Jon Duffy, Winona,
Minn.; 10. Jeff Dregney, Eleva, Wis; 11. Jesse Lutz, Winona, Minn.; 12. Luke
Schultz, Manitowoc, Wis; 13. Travis Wagner, Arcadia, Wis; 14. Dan Nissalke,
Winona, Minn.; 15. Dan Arneson, Eleva, Wis; 16. Justin Sass, Alma, Wis; 17.
Rodney Dregney, Mondovi, Wis.
Heat 01 -- 1. Troy Langowski, Winona, Minn.; 2. Dennis Earney, Cochrane,
Wis; 3. Dan Nissalke, Winona, Minn.; 4. Troy Brand, Winona, Minn.; 5. Shawn
Huse, Bloomer, Wis; 6. Dan Arneson, Eleva, Wis; 7. Jeff Dregney, Eleva, Wis;
8. Jesse Lutz, Winona, Minn.; 9. Justin Sass, Alma, Wis.
Heat 02 -- 1. Jon Duffy, Winona, Minn.; 2. Chris Groth, Plymouth, Minn.;
3. Mark Stender, Holcombe, Wis; 4. David Nastvold, Galesville, Wis; 5. Gary
Wiersgalla, Fountain City, Wis; 6. Rodney Dregney, Mondovi, Wis; 7. Luke
Schultz, Manitowoc, Wis; 8. Travis Wagner, Arcadia, Wis.
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